Evil Dead to be written by Diablo Cody

That’s not an April Fool’s joke, it’s official as per Ghost House Pictures, Sam Raimi’s company. Diablo Cody, who won the Oscar for Juno, has been tapped to give Evil Dead‘s remake some sort of refreshing facelift. Her horror influences and the love of the genre is apparent in scenes from Juno, as well as her other screenplay for Jennifer’s Body, but as curious as this is, the potential is there, although there’s been plenty of backlash from fans already.

Here’s the press release:

Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell (who also starred in the original franchise) are gearing up to remake their cult sensation THE EVIL DEAD through their long standing Ghost House Pictures partnership. Raimi and Tapert were such instant fans of Fede Alvarez’s short film “Panic Attack” that they set up a blind deal with the filmmaker and through that process have attached Fede Alvarez to write and direct the film. Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues. Academy Award® winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is currently doing revisions on the draft. Ghost House is committed to renewing the franchise and has the film on the fast track.

Raimi, Tapert and Campbell will serve as producers. Ghost House Pictures partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Nicole Brown and J.R. Young will oversee the project for Ghost House. Lionsgate will handle international sales on the film.

The three producing partners commented, “We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the ‘Evil Dead’ series. We can’t wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.”

Raimi wrote, directed and, along with Tapert and Campbell, produced the original horror classic THE EVIL DEAD that tells the story of five twenty-something friends who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist’s tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival. THE EVIL DEAD spawned a franchise with the equally successful installments EVIL DEAD II and ARMY OF DARKNESS.

Cody recently tweeted: “Fede Alvarez wrote a brilliant script. My job is easy. Have no fear. (Wait, do have fear.)” She’s referring to a previous draft that she’ll rewrite. No word on a start date or who will play Ash, if he’s even in the film.

Source: /Film